


Through the Looking Glass

by Kadira



Series: Distorted Reality [2]
Category: Finder no Hyôteki/You're My Love Prize in Viewfinder
Genre: Humour, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-05-08
Updated: 2005-05-08
Packaged: 2017-11-16 20:12:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,271
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/543379
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kadira/pseuds/Kadira
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>One year after the events in 'Distorted Reality', Fei Long and Takaba spend some quality time together - much to Takaba's annoyance.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Through the Looking Glass

**Author's Note:**

> This story won't make any sense if you don't know the original story. Everything, including the characterization, is based on that first story, so I strongly recommend reading it first. Also, this story is very different from the original one, so read with caution.

With an "All right. See you then," Takaba cut the connection, then put his cell phone away, while holding the bag filled with beer and crackers he got for the evening with his friends in his other hand, and left the shopping center, quite satisfied with everything.

"Takaba Akihito, long time not see." Takaba froze in his movement as the voice reached his ear and his gaze fell on the unfortunately far too familiar figure in front of him.

"You," Takaba said simply, once he got over his initial surprise. He didn't bother hiding the edge of irritation in his voice at the sight of Liu Fei Long in all his annoying glory, almost as if he had just jumped out of one of the popular fashion magazines. It was no surprise that his friends had connected him with the whole branch.

"I see you remember me," Fei Long said, smirking, taking a step closer. In some distance two black clothed men waited, barely out of earshot. Probably his bodyguards. Takaba thought that he even remembered one of them from his first encounter with Fei Long. It was not a pleasant memory.

"What do you want?" Takaba asked, eyes narrowed. He hadn't seen the triad leader since that fateful afternoon almost a year ago when his whole life got turned upside down once more. He hadn't expected to see him any time soon either, nor could he say that he missed him. "Aren't you supposed to be in Hong Kong?"

"It's business."

"And that brings you ... here? To a shopping center in Japan?" Takaba asked, suspiciously, while looking around. He noticed with gratitude that the parking lot was filling up with people.

"In a way."

"Is business so bad, that you are branching out now?" Takaba said before he could stop himself. It was not that he was really scared of the other man. Not since he had last met him, when he was first annoyed at his mere existence, and then couldn't care less about him, just as long as he stayed away from Asami and him. However, he was sure that annoying Fei Long would not be a good idea.

Takaba wished that the other man would finally take off his sunglasses, so that he could see his eyes and determine which mood he was in. "Well then, I'll just be on my way again. Good success with your business and all that. I'll let Asami know that you're here."

"Asami is my business."

Takaba froze in his tracks and turned around. "What do you want from him?" he said, feeling all alarm bells ring. Whatever it was, it couldn't be good. Takaba was sure about that.

"Right now, nothing. I just want to have a word with you about your _lover_. Care to join me? I'm sure we will be much more comfortable somewhere else." Fei pointed at a black limousine that couldn't stand out more in the current surroundings.

"Don't take it personally, but I would rather not. It's comfortable enough here."

"It seems you have learned quite a lot lately."

Takaba scowled. "Because I always went with you willingly, especially that first time."

"Still so resentful?"

"Only when it comes to certain people, mostly those who tried to kill me."

Fei Long smirked. "I will remember that for the next time."

Takaba tried to keep his face expressionless, only reached in thoughts for the small knife in his pocket, relieved when he could still feel its outline pressing against his leg. It was the only weapon he was willing to carry with him, despite Asami's insistence that a gun would be much better. In fact, Asami had even given one to him a few months ago. Takaba just ignored it most of time. Right now, he wasn't so sure though, if that had been one of his better ideas. It sure wasn't very helpful in the kitchen drawer he had thrown it in. Not that Fei Long could do much with so many people around them, but Takaba didn't trust him further than he could throw him. He was dangerous.

"All right. Let's have a walk then. I think I saw a coffee house a few blocks down the road." Then, obviously seeing Takaba's expression, not hiding a certain exasperation, "Fine, why don't we just take a walk in ... this. For now. I'm sure it will be quite ... interesting," and passed him. Takaba looked after the other man, for a moment too stunned to say anything, then, as the bodyguards closed in, shrugged and followed him.

Not even Fei Long would dare to try anything in the middle of a crowd of people. Besides, if he wanted to harm him, he would have had a much easier time just waiting until Takaba was on his way home, and having his men catch him then. It was nothing Fei Long hadn't done before.

For a moment they walked beside each other, silently, past smaller shops and bars and the supermarket where Takaba had previously bought his beer. And while Fei Long seemed to be oblivious to it, Takaba was very well aware of the gazes and whispers that followed them. It annoyed him greatly.

On the escalator, Fei Long finally took off his glasses and looked around, with clear distaste. "What do people like about such places? It's crowded, it's noisy and it's tasteless."

For a moment, Takaba just stared at the other man, actually lost for words. Then he stepped off the escalator to follow Fei Long down another corridor, passing even more shops. He was slowly feeling like he was in that fairytale about the girl that fell into the rabbit hole. In front of a shop with traditional Japanese clothes, they came to hold.

"Nice."

Takaba shook his head, feeling his patience slipping very fast. "As much as it pains me to spoil your fun, I don't have time for this. What do you want, Fei Long?"

"It seems that one of the things that Asami failed to teach you is tranquility and an appreciation for the finer things in life," Fei Long said, then walked on again, so that Takaba's glare was lost on him. "Then again, maybe he likes the rough diamond in you. It has a certain charm."

"Sir, you have truly beautiful hair," a girl approached them before Takaba had a chance to answer. "We have a special offer just for this week," she pointed at the hairdresser they were just passing. "In case you want to have some work done on it, like cutting the ends or a special treatment to keep it silky and healthy."

Takaba had a hard time hiding his grin at Fei Long's gaze, which changed between surprise and annoyance. He crossed his arms over his chest, very much intending to enjoy the show. The triad leader glared at him while he motioned for his bodyguards to stay back.

"Are you trying to compliment or offend me? Maybe both at the same time?" Fei Long asked and Takaba felt almost sorry for the girl as she flinched at the far too sweet tone.

"No, not at all. Your hair is really beautiful. I know women who would kill for such hair."

"Well, then it doesn't need any treatment, does it?" The girl just stared at him, clearly not knowing what else to say. "I assure you that it gets all the treatment it needs. My companion here on the other hand," he continued while he turned around to Takaba, smirking, "is there anything you could do for him? Something like an all-around cure?"

~.~.~.~

 

"All right. That was it. I'm gone now," Takaba said, once he finally, after what seemed like an eternity, stumbled out of the clothing store, dressed in a completely new and far too expensive wardrobe and additional bags in his hands, as well as more than just a bit confused and angry. "I'm fed up. You're all a bunch of crazy bastards!"

"You should try to enjoy life some more," Fei Long told him, looking far too pleased as the bodyguards left the shop behind him and the owner turned the sign at the door to 'open' again.

"I probably could do that if you would just stay far away from it. What do you want from me? Now that you can't kill me anymore you have to find another way to get to me by dragging me on a shopping and _beauty_ tour?"

 

"You have to admit that your general look has improved a lot during the course of the last few hours. The shirt underlines your eye color very nicely, especially when you look angry like now, and the suit gives your appearance that special something. Yes, I'm satisfied. Asami will like it as well. And now we can go eat."

"What?" Takaba couldn't believe what he was hearing. Not that he could believe the whole situation. It was just too absurd.

"Eating. I took the liberty to reserve a table for us while you got your hair done."

"What are you playing at? You wanted to talk about Asami and nothing more."

"That's right," Fei Long said, stroking a strand of hair out of his face. "But I never said I want to do it here. And now that you're presentable, we can move to a suitable location as well," he said, then took Takaba by the arm and dragged him away and out of the building before Takaba could even recover from his surprise.

~.~.~.~

 

"So, what do you want now?" Takaba asked, once he made himself comfortable on the cushion of the traditional Japanese restaurant. Well, as comfortable as he could be in such unfamiliar surroundings after being dragged halfway through the town once. Not to mention their shopping tour before that. In fact, if he would never have to think about that again, he just might be fine again one day.

"Tell your lover to stop interfering in my business."

"What?"

"Tell that lover of yours not to interfere anymore in my business if he wants to keep up the peace."

"Asami?"

"If you don't have a second relationship somewhere, yes, that is who I am talking about."

Relationship? Well, he supposed that was what they had. He shrugged. "So what? Go and tell him that yourself. That's not my business."

The talk came to a momentary stop when the tea was brought.

"I'm sure it --"

Fei Long was stopped again by his cell phone. Takaba accepted the call, not at all unhappy about the interruption -- as long as it wasn't Asami at the other end of the line. It wasn't.

"Where are you, Akihito? We're waiting for you."

"Kou," Takaba greeted him. It was all he could get out before his cell phone was snatched away from him.

"I apologize for the inconvenience, but Akihito doesn't have time right now. He will call you when he is done, probably tomorrow."

Stunned, Takaba looked at the triad leader when he switched off the phone entirely and returned it to him. "As I was saying ..." Fei Long started again just when a waiter appeared at their table to take on their order.

~.~.~.~.

 

"He can be such a bastard." Fei Long nodded in agreement.

Finally something they agreed on, Takaba thought as he downed the last of his vegetables with some more of the full, red French wine Fei Long had ordered together with their dinner and whose name he had forgotten already, but which made the company almost bearable. He knew something about wine, Takaba had to give him that.

Fei Long's voice didn't sound entirely steady anymore either when he spoke next, probably the result of their last bottle of wine. "But his kisses … they almost make up for that." This time it was Takaba who nodded in agreement.

"And his hands. The things they can do …," Fei Long continued and Takaba was almost grateful that Fei Long had pushed him into the shop to get a new wardrobe. He couldn't quite remember anymore when or how it happened, but he was pretty sure that his jeans would feel much more unpleasant at the memory of just what said hands could do.

In the short moment of silence that settled between them, Takaba got hit by the bang of realization of just what he's doing here, with whom he's sitting here and had spent the last few hours, and just what their topic was and how fucked up the whole situation was. After all, that was the man who had first raped and then tried to kill him, only a few months before they had engaged in some very close intimacies Takaba still refused to think about further. In the short moment of lucidity that came over him, the situation appeared even more bizarre than before.

The moment lasted exactly as long as it took for his glass to be refilled and for him to empty it as well.

~.~.~.~.

 

"He is a bastard," Fei Long stated, matter-of-factly, as they sat down on the bench in the small park. Takaba wrapped his new coat closer around himself and joined him, for a moment surprised at the setting sun and how much time had passed since Fei Long had passed him up this morning.

"You don't need to tell me that," Takaba muttered, fishing in the bag at his feet and bringing out the first of three six-packs of beers. "You want one?" he offered the triad leader.

Fei Long took it with a shrug, obviously having reached a state where it has become unimportant if he drunk expensive wine or cheap beer, and opened the can. "You think you got it bad with him?" Fei Long asked, voice a spur less steady than during the time in the restaurant, maybe even before they'd reached the bar. "That bastard is always interfering with my business."

"He abducted me and spent three days to teach me a lesson, just because I took a few pictures of his club. So don't tell me anything about bad."

Fei Long took a sip from his beer, then grimaced slightly. "How can you drink that?", but took another mouthful nonetheless. "That is just a slight nuisance. Bad is when your own lover tries to shoot you. Try to top that," he said. Takaba noted that his accent had become a bit thicker.

Takaba nodded and for a moment a strangely comfortable silence fell between them. "But at least you got rid of him after that and he didn't decide to make you his object of obsession."

"What a terrible fate. I can see how much you suffer," Fei Long said, voice dry.

Takaba glared at him. "You don't know anything."

"Could have fooled me. So the way you clung to him and your jealousy was just a pretense. That's good to know," Fei Long said, then threw the empty can in the direction of the garbage can. He only barely missed his bodyguard who was standing half hidden in the shadow. The man gave a surprised gasp at being so unexpectedly attacked by the very man he worked for, but then took the can, walked over to the garbage and threw it away.

"I didn't say that!" Takaba protested while Fei Long helped himself to another beer.

"And of course, you accepted his apartment keys and the credit card just to keep him happy. And the way you react to his mere presence is just a pretense to keep him at distance. I can see it very clearly now. But while you ended up in his bed, I, thanks to him, woke up in a hospital. I think that is a tad worse."

"Well, thanks to him I got to know you," Takaba snapped, slightly offended, though he couldn't quite remember anymore just why. In any case, clear thinking seemed to have become exceedingly difficult during the course of the last hours. "I don't think I need to say anything more, do I? And you will hardly be able to top _that_."

~.~.~.~.

 

"No, everything is fine, Mr. Yoshida. I thank you for your concern, but you really don't need to worry. Please leave everything as it is ....Yes, thank you, Mr. Yoshida," Asami said and ended the phone call with the director of his bank. Yet, when he cut the connection, there was a frown on his face. It deepened even more when he tried to call Takaba and still only reached his voice box. Frustrated, he gave up and came to his feet.

"Sir?"

"I will drive alone, thank you," he told Masuyo, his right hand man, then passed him without looking back and went towards the elevator.

"But sir, what about the dinner this evening?"

"Try to postpone it until tomorrow. If that isn't possible, you go. You know enough about the situation to make him feel welcome and comfortable, so that the rest should be easy."

~.~.~.~.

Takaba groaned as his senses were assaulted by far too bright light and he tried to hide further into his pillows and under his blanket. A far too cheerful, "Time to rise and shine!" was the only warning he got before the blanket was forcefully pulled away.

Takaba's gaze, when he finally managed to open his eyes, was so unfocussed that he needed a moment to recognize just who was responsible for his rough awakening. The realization just who stood in front of him, an unreadable expression on his face, was more effective than any alarm clock ever could be. Takaba was sure about that. In combination with the memory of the last day even more so. Despite his pounding head, he managed to sit up.

"Asami. What are you doing here?" were the first illegible words he managed to bring out, despite his tongue feeling like sandpaper.

"I was just in the neighborhood. Do you feel well?"

"Just give me a few moments," Takaba said, then, with some effort, stood up. He held onto every piece of available furniture, seeking support, as he made his way into the kitchen, to find something to drink.

"Sit down," Asami said, pressing him onto a chair, before he poured a glass of water and put it in front of Takaba. "Drink," then vanished into the bathroom.

Takaba emptied the glass in one go. "Thanks," he said, voice so low that Asami probably didn't even hear it in the bathroom, while trying to shield his eyes against the sunlight that had decided to torment him some more, by shining in right through the window.

Asami returned from the bathroom, in one hand a package that Takaba, even in his current state, identified as painkillers. He was rarely more grateful for something, than Asami refilling his glass, and putting it in front of him along with two of the pills. "Take that," said just as clip as his previous statements, Takaba realized with a sinking feeling as he followed the order.

"Now, are you going to tell me what you did, or do I have to drag it out of you?"

"What do you mean?" Takaba asked, trying to sound innocent and failing miserably. Not that that tactic ever worked before, but he just had to try it. It was certainly better than the truth, which would be along the lines of: _Going shopping and getting drunk with Fei Long, then discussing you with him, right down to every last little detail._ Somehow he really couldn't imagine that Asami would appreciate the truth. Takaba's best hope was that Asami would just let it slide. The chances that that would happen, were slightly better than the evasion. Maybe. "I told you I'd be out, didn't I?"

"With your friends, yes. But when I called them you obviously weren't there."

"Wait! You called my friends? Why?" Takaba asked, alarmed. No matter how much their relationship had progressed, he still did his best not to get his friends involved in any of this, which meant that they didn't hang out with each other.

"Your phone was turned off. It still is."

"Turned off? Right, that bastard switched it off. I forgot to turn it on again," he said, more to himself than his lover, but it caught Asami's interest, of course.

"What bastard?"

"It was nobody,” Takaba said, maybe a bit too hastily to be convincing. “Just somebody I bumped into, nobody important.” He cursed himself inwardly for getting himself even deeper into the mess. Because even if Asami hadn't been curious before, his interest was certainly piqued now. He should know better. But with this headache from hell that just refused to vanish and his generally less than good state, it was a bit too much to expect.

"If it is nobody important, you certainly can tell me about him," Asami said, a sudden edge in his voice, putting his arms right and left on the arm rests of Takaba's chair. His face was so close that Takaba could not only feel the breath on his face but also see the heat in his eyes, the only obvious sign for Asami's agitation. It was something he had discovered over the last year, ever since they had spent so much time together, as actual lovers and not just fuck partners and he had taken the time to observe Asami intently. "After all, you not only seem to have spent a lot of time with him, but also enough money to make my bank worry so that they saw it necessary to call me."

"Your bank called you?" Takaba asked, mind for a moment curiously blank as another part of him wondered and worried just what they had told Asami. But he should have known it. After all, he normally never used the credit card Asami gave him. It was a pride and independence thing. He didn't want to depend on Asami. But it would have been even worse if he had let Fei Long pay for his things, which the Chinese triad leader first had intended. There was no way he wanted to owe him anything, even if he didn't seem intent on killing him anymore. So, since he couldn't get away, Asami's card had been the easiest solution.

"Yes. And they told me a lot of interesting things, like where you spent all the money." Silence, then, when it became obvious that Takaba wouldn't say anything, Asami continued, "I'm sure that you wouldn't have gone there alone; not in such a shop, not the restaurant and not the rest either. So, who made you go there? It must be some fascinating person. After all, not even I can get you to wear a suit normally, even less of such an exceptional material, no matter how often I tell you that you look good in it," Asami said and let his fingers wander over the soft, if after last night very crumbled cloth, then up until he reached his face and lifted it so that Takaba was forced to meet his eyes. " _Who_ was it?"

Takaba had serious doubts that Asami would believe a blackout due too much alcohol, but right now, it was the only possible way to get out of it that came to his mind. He turned his head away, starring intently at the table. "I ... can't we just settle this on 'you don't want to know'? Because, honestly, I'm trying to forget it as well ..." If he hadn't been suffering this hangover, he would have known that it would only gain the opposite effect, but one could hardly accuse him of thinking straight in that situation.

"Who, Akihito?"

So much for that. "Fei Long," Takaba finally said, not meeting Asami's eyes, and his voice muffled by the glass he took up to drink, or at least to pretend to do so.

"Care to repeat that? I must have understood something wrong."

Damn it! Damn Fei Long! And damn Asami! Takaba slammed the glass on the table, regretting the action immediately as the sound reverberated in his head like a very bad tuned drum. Or rather a whole orchestra. "Fei Long. I was out with Liu Fei Long! Are you happy now?"

"No. Why?"

Not even Asami's obvious surprise could lighten Takaba's mood, no matter how much he normally thrived on getting emotions out of his lover. "Because he was there when I wanted to go home and obviously still doesn't understand what ' _no_ ' means. Once I told him that I have no intention of talking to him, even less of going anywhere with him, he dragged me around in that shopping center. Things progressed from there on."

"Why was he there?"

"Because he wanted to talk about you." Which they did, too. In excess. Much later, Takaba recalled only too vividly. Not that he had any plans of telling Asami about _that_. "Something about you interfering with his business again."

"And you needed the whole day for that? Even had to switch off your phone so that you wouldn't be disturbed? And to go shopping and having dinner? There was no way to get around that?" There was a strange tone in Asami's voice, suppressed, yet still clear enough for Takaba to hear. It made him shiver.

Takaba took another sip, as much for thirst as to avoid the piercing gaze of his lover, which was more than just a bit uncomfortable. "I told you how it happened. I had no intention at all of spending any more time with him than was necessary. But once he told me that he wanted to talk about you, I didn't have much choice. Next thing I knew, I was being dragged from one shop to another, while trying to find out what he wanted. End of story."

"And the dinner? The amounts of alcohol? Your switched off phone?"

Takaba groaned. "I told you, it just progressed when he refused to tell me right away."

"And just how much did it progress?" Asami asked, and this time there was no way anybody could miss that special edge in his voice. And while Takaba couldn't quite wrap his mind around the 'why', it didn't prevent his body from reacting to it.

"I have no idea what you're talking about. I told you everything there was." Almost. And Takaba had no intention of talking about the rest either. If he would never even have to think about it, it would be even better. "As for the money, he wanted to pay but there's no way in hell that I want to owe that bastard anything."

"Well, you seem to have amused yourself well enough with _that bastard_."

Takaba glared at Asami, tried to do so at least, because it wasn't too easy in his current state. "Being dragged from one shop to the next isn't very amusing. Especially not with him."

"What did you do after that?"

"Have dinner, I told you."

"And what about the bar? I have a hard time believing that you drunk all of that alone." Takaba shifted uncomfortable in his chair, before taking another sip from the by now almost empty glass. He might not have drunken all of that alone, but his body, especially his head, certainly felt like it. "You know, if you don't want to tell me, maybe Fei Long will be more talkative. I'm sure I can convince him."

Takaba shivered at the edge in Asami's voice. Even after all the time he was still not immune against it. It was highly annoying. "I doubt that he will tell you anything more. We just went there after dinner and talked some more."

"What topic might have been so interesting that you were unreachable for the whole day?"

"Fei Long switched the phone off. That's the only reason. And we just ... talked," Takaba said, then pushed Asami away, came unsteadily to his feet and went towards the fridge to refill his glass.

"And what did you talk about?" Takaba startled at the voice so close to his ear and let the bottle slip from his fingers. "Must have been something really exciting," Asami said, catching the bottle and refilling his glass.

"If you really want to know, we talked about you, what a bastard you are. It was also the only thing we agreed on. After that, we just had to discover to whom of us you were the bigger bastard. That was when we were in the park, I believe, emptying the beer I bought for the evening with my friends. I won, too, I think. And now, if you don't mind, I'll just return to bed and pretend that yesterday and this morning never happened," Takaba said and passed Asami.

~.~.~.~.

_How did he manage to get into such mess all the time?_ Takaba wondered once more as he kicked off his shoes, then shrugged out of the crumbled suit and fell into the bed, with the firm intention of first getting up again when he: A. felt better again, or B. dust settled on what happened and he would never ever have to think about Fei Long or that situation again. Damn bastard! He should have stayed in Hong Kong or at the very least talked to Asami himself! But of course, that wouldn't have been half as much fun as annoying him.

With a groan, Takaba pulled the cover up, almost completely over his head and closed his eyes, wishing for nothing more than a few hours of sleep.

He wasn't so lucky. Of course not. Not with Asami being there. "What do you still want?" Takaba groaned as the mattress shifted and a warm body joined him, nestling behind him and pulling him close. "I told you everything. There was nothing more. So, what do you want?"

"Nothing. I'm just trying to keep up my reputation as a bastard," Asami said, before he, with one thrust, entered Takaba. "And it worked last time well enough against your hangover, didn't it?"

Even through the wave of pain-pleasure, Takaba heard the smirk in the other's voice. Yet, as always and no matter his state, he felt himself unable to ignore the closeness to his lover; even less the things he did to him. Just the way it had always been, regardless how much it always annoyed him. It was those hands, as Fei Long had stated so inappropriately for the situation, but so very correctly in fact, as Asami proved just once more to him.

"Not ... ah ... just a bastard," Takaba said, arching into the hand on his already hard cock and the mouth on his neck, then moving slightly back, instinctively trying to get as much contact as any possible. "You are a _perverted_ bastard."

"I certainly hope so. Besides, somebody has to make sure that things indeed didn't progress further between you than talking and to remind you that you are _mine_."

"Very unlikely that you'll allow me to forget that," Takaba said, breathe ragged while pushing back against Asami, for the moment having forgotten about his headache and just why he was in that condition to start with. He just wanted more. As always. "Even if I wanted to."

"Good. And if you should ever be in danger of forgetting, I'll gladly take the time to remind you," each word punctuated with a hard thrust that made Takaba go lightheaded with sensations and lust. Not that he saw such a danger right now. Asami was a bastard, no doubt about that, but he was _his_ perverted bastard and Takaba had no intention of changing that any time soon.

**~The End~**


End file.
